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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. file — a line of people
  3. present — a gift
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. file — a tool
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stand — to bear
  11. roll — a cake
  12. sharp — clever
  13. present — there
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. present — the time now
  23. file — a document
  24. roll — a list

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com